A blog dedicated to coverage of rock news, reviews of CD's/DVD's, live gigs and interviews with musicians who have made rock music great!
Coverage of hard rock, classic rock, AOR and popular melodic rock music across the genre.
This blog is the creation of Alun Williams, a Brit now living in Michigan whose previous credits include writing for the following sites:
www.classicrock.about.com
www.classicrockrevisited.com
and www.rocknrolluniverse.com (Now gone)
I hope you enjoy your visit here!

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Rock News Update for Wednesday 25th May, 2011

Hello folks, yes I'm back! That week away just flew by, but there you go, that's what happens when you're on holiday or vacation right?!

Great to see family in the UK, catch up on the phone with a few old friends over there I've not spoken to in awhile (Thanks Ian, it's been years mate!), good to catch up with my old mate Steve Newman, who's currently getting loads of praise for his latest project alongside vocalist Mark Thompson-Smith in Big Life - Album review here soon. - and Steve shared with me some of the new Newman stuff not due for release until late summer, so in it's early stages and the one or two tracks I heard ... Wow!

Fans of classic Newman material will fully be able to relate to this stuff and the sound is BIG, his influences of Journey / Toto, very much present and seriously, one track I heard, he's almost outdoing Arnel vocally!

Good luck with it Steve!

Other than that, very disappointed on our first ever trip with US Airways, anything that could go wrong did and that will be the first and last time we travel with them and they will be hearing from me ...

So, loads of new stuff was waiting for me when I got back and I'm already behind on what I have, so hopefully later today I can upload a couple of new reviews for you all and some stuff I've had a while, that really is long overdue posting here.

So, to the updates that I've received in the week I've been away, I hope some of it is new to you and one last thing, my well wishes go out to my old mate Andrew McNiece ofwww.melodicrock.com ... The poor guy is back in hospital again, after having a rough year or so on many front including major back problems.

This time it's some cut he got, that got infected and into his blood stream and has made the guy a pretty sick duck or should that be Wombat mate?!! Get well soon Andrew, our best to you mate.

So, on to the updates! Cheers, Al

JUDAS PRIEST ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

After storming the world for nearly 40 years and taking their very special brand of heavy metal to all four corners of the planet, JUDAS PRIEST - one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, have announced this will be their final world tour!!

However, the mighty PRIEST will certainly be going out strong as they rock the planet starting in 2011 on the massive EPITAPH tour - hitting all the major cities throughout the world they will be playing the songs that helped make the name JUDAS PRIEST synonymous with heavy metal!

The tour will feature new guitarist Richie Faulkner. The 31 year old British guitar player has blended into the band perfectly, due to his amazing six-string talents. Richie joins Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill and Scott Travis in the line-up. Together, JUDAS PRIEST will hit the road for the EPITAPH Tour.

With all guns blazing and amps cranked to eleven, the band will be giving all their fans one last chance to witness the ultimate metal experience that is JUDAS PRIEST!

JUDAS PRIEST will be starting their North American tour on Wednesday, October 12th in San Antonio.

A confirmed itinerary of performances for the first leg of tour can be found below.

October 2011:

12 – San Antonio, TX: AT&T Center

14 – Corpus Christi, TX: Concrete Street Amphitheater

15 – Houston, TX: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

16 – Dallas, TX: Allen Event Center

18 – Tucson, AZ: Ava Amphitheater

19 – San Diego, CA: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

21 – Phoenix, AZ: AZ State Fair

22 – San Bernardino, CA: San Manuel Amphitheater

23 – Las Vegas, NV: Hard Rock

25 – Los Angeles, CA: Gibson Amphitheatre

26 – Oakland, CA: Oracle Arena

29 – Seattle, WA: WaMu Theater

30 – Vancouver, BC: Rogers Arena

November 2011:

1 – Edmonton, AB: Shaw Conference Center

2 – Calgary, AB: Scotiabank Saddledome

4 – Salt Lake City, UT: Maverik Center

5 – Denver, CO: 1STBANK Center

12 – Chicago, IL: The Venue at Horseshoe Casino

13 – Detroit, MI: Joe Louis Arena

18 – East Rutherford, NJ: Izod Center

Stay tuned as we announce more dates - information will be forthcoming soon - so start getting prepared to rock one final time with the incomparable JUDAS PRIEST!!

So here we go, Kiss getting into the rock cruise game that seems to be the latest thing for rock fans everywhere. Here's press release / newsletter details.

Hello KISS ARMY!

We know you have been waiting patiently for the big news...and here it is!

The KISS Kruise: Wet, Wild, & Rockin’

Sailing on the Carnival Destiny

October 13 – 17, 2011

from Miami to Half Moon Cay & Nassau, Bahamas

ARE YOU READY to INVADE the seas on the first ever KISS Kruise? KISS is partnering with cruise industry leaders, Sixthman for this sea-bound adventure.

On this outrageous ship, you’ll get to party with fist pounding hard rock all night, and live like a rock star all day. You’ll see a legendary show with KISS in an intimate indoor venue and an acoustic "Sail Away Concert" (no make-up!!) to keep the party going as the ship leaves port. It doesn’t stop there; we’ll have krazy on board activities, KISS-themed nights, badass costume contests and more!

KISS ARMY Fan Club members will be able to book first during the pre-sale, so if you've let your KISS Army Fan Club membership expire or you're thinking about joining for the first time, make sure to sign up by May 22nd!

The sooner you book, the better selection of cabins and seating for your main lounge show!

So, don’t wait - sign up now for the presale here: www.sixthman.net/KISS and make sure to become and ARMY member before May 22nd!

Here’s how it works:

STEP 1: Visit www.sixthman.net/KISS to register! Pre-sale sign ups end at 11:59PM EST on May 30th , 2011. (IF YOU JOIN THE FAN CLUB, SIGN UP FOR THE PRE-SALE BY MAY 22nd TO BE A PART OF THE KISS ARMY FAN CLUB PRE-SALE).

STEP 2: All those who are not Fan Club members will receive more detailed information by email from Sixthman on or around May 31st . The email will have your Earliest Booking Time - a randomly assigned date and time starting June 2nd.

VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE AND TRACK LISTING REVEALED; SUMMER TOUR SUPPORTING JOURNEY AND FOREIGNER WITH DATES IN EUROPE AND US

Night Ranger’s brand new album SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA has just been confirmed for release on June 17th in Europe and June 21st in North America on Frontiers Records. The offering is the culmination of the band’s work to date and celebrates the 30th anniversary of Night Ranger. SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA finds Night Ranger returning to their classic sound with updated production. Frontman/bassist Jack Blades commented, “Night Ranger is back with a vengeance! We are so proud of our new album… classic NR in every sense...can’t wait to see all the fans on tour this summer. Rock n’ roll!”

(Night Ranger - Photo by Ross Pelton)

The first single, “Growin’ Up In California,” will soon impact at radio. The sun-drenched new video has just been released and can be viewed here. An EPK for the album can be viewed here:

Please see below for a complete track listing for SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA. Night Ranger will hit the road this summer on a massive tour in Europe and USA as special guests supporting Journey and Foreigner. Please see below for confirmed tour dates.

Night Ranger’s legendary hits "Sister Christian," "(You Can Still) Rock in America," and "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" are songs that have each significantly impacted popular culture and expanded their ever-growing fanbase since the band’s inception thirty years ago. Night Ranger’s contributions are featured in multiple entertainment realms, including the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages and the wildly successful videogame series "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero". The band has also been recognized in such significant films and television shows as Boogie Nights, Secret of My Success and “American Dad” to name a few. To date, Night Ranger has sold 17 million units worldwide and boasts several platinum- and gold-certified albums.

PROLIFIC BRITISH MUSICIAN JOHN WETTON TO RELEASE NEW SOLO ALBUM IN JULY VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS; “RAISED IN CAPTIVITY” FEATURES GUEST SPOTS BY IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF MUSICAL PARTNERS

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of the sixth solo album by esteemed British singer/songwriter John Wetton; RAISED IN CAPTIVITY is due out on July 1st in Europe and the 12th in North America. The album was recorded in Los Angeles during a brief break between touring commitments and is produced and mixed by multi-instrumentalist Billy Sherwood (Yes, World Trade, Yoso). The new offering finds Wetton teaming up with current and former musical partners, including some of the biggest names from the British music scene over the past four decades: Genesis’ Steve Hackett, King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, Deep Purple’s Steve Morse and many more.

Please see below for a full track listing.

“Raised In Captivity” celebrates yet another milestone in an extraordinary life, a stunning collection of songs reinforcing a career of over 40 years during which John Wetton has created a legacy as one of the greatest singers, musicians and songwriters ever. Respected worldwide by fans and musical peers alike, Wetton’s career included a significant period of time in the early eighties when he was the biggest selling singer in the world. Once again characterised by the emotional impact of the material, a necessary component in all Wetton’s creativity, “Raised In Captivity” continues an unrivalled career which has brought inspiration to millions worldwide.

Of the new album and choice of producer, Wetton commented, “The decision to record in Los Angeles with Billy Sherwood was entirely mine. I wanted the chaotic urban inspiration, edge and energy to juxtapose the natural beauty that California provides. I also knew that Billy Sherwood would provide the musical and technical ability to record quickly, with ultra high energy and superb production quality.” The material was written in a variety of ways, such as “Goodbye Elsinore” was written on the Denmark-Sweden sea ferry en route to a Vilde Frang concert and “The Devil and the Opera House” is co-written with King Crimson collaborator Richard Palmer-James. The album’s finale is “Mighty Rivers”, featuring the enigmatic Dutch soprano Anneke Van Giersbergen and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

John Wetton has been a member of several prominent British bands. After two albums with Family he joined King Crimson from 1972 to 1974, before working with Roxy Music and Uriah Heep. In 1977, with former Crimson band mate and drummer Bill Bruford, he co-founded U.K., which also featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson. After U.K.’s demise, Wetton turned his attentions to a solo career.

In 1982, Wetton became part of the supergroup Asia, together with Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes. This “fab four” of progressive pop would rule radio and record sales, with their debut album becoming the biggest selling album of the year and yielding the worldwide hit “Heat of the Moment.”Wetton remained prolific with more solo studio albums and several collaborative efforts over the years.

In 2002 at a John Wetton fan convention held in Allentown, PA, he started working with Geoff Downes again. This collaboration ultimately resulted a series of iCon studio and live albums and the in the highly-anticipated reunion of Asia’s original lineup, bringing about two successful new studio albums: PHOENIX in 2008 and OMEGA in 2010.

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of AIRRACE comeback album entitled 'Back to the Start' on July 1st in Europe and August 23rd in North America.

Mostly known in the Hard Rock circles for being the band that saw the musical debut from John Bonham’s son Jason on the band’s debut album for Atco 'Shaft of Light,'AIRRACE was instead brainchild of former More guitarist Laurie Mansworth.

'Shaft of Light,' produced by Beau Hill (Ratt, Winger, Fiona etc) received rave reviews when released in October 1984, showing a combination of breezy melodies and snappy choruses which moved journalist Derek Oliver to pronounce in the pages of Kerrang! that anyone who didn’t like Airrace“ought to be shot”.

Although the band got to play support slots with Queen, AC/DC and Meat Loaf, Airrace crash-landed in the summer of 1985.

It took a 25th anniversary re-issue of 'Shaft of Light' to reunite the band in 2009. To celebrate the record’s expanded re-release, the original members Mansworth, Bonham with singer Keith Murrell and keyboardist Toby Sadler recruited two new members – second guitarist Dean Howard (formerly of T’Pau) and bassist Dave Boyce (ex-Samson, among others) – to hit the road, playing gigs with Thunder, Tesla, Winger and more, in addition to headlining their own shows. When Jason Bonham departed, the occupation of his drum stool by The Outfield’s Simon Dawson brought them vital stability.

It was the overwhelmingly positive reaction to an appearance at annual melodic rock all-dayer the Firefest in October 2009 that convinced Airrace to take things more seriously. Describing what the wild scenes of that day, Fireworks magazine proposed the distinct possibility that Airrace were “the best opening band we’ve ever had at a Firefest”.

With Toby Sadler, who resides in Germany, unable to commit to playing more regularly, Airrace hired a new keyboard player called Chris Williams, re-recruiting original bass player Jim Reid as a successor to Dave Boyce.

The above grouping can be heard on 'Back to the Start,' the long-awaited second album from Airrace. Produced by Mansworth, it’s a notch heavier than 'Shaft Of Light' yet continues to offer all of the group’s trademarks, including über-memorable hooks and the exquisite singing of Keith Murrell, recently named at #20 in Classic RockPresents AOR magazine’s list of the Top 40 AOR Vocalists Of All Time. Guitarist Laurie Mansworth said "We had a great time making this record, and we are very happy with the results. I feel this album captures the Airrace sound and is closer to how we sound live than the first album. We are also very excited about working with our new label Frontiers who have been very supportive throughout the making of Back to the Start”.

As good as anything the Yanks have to offer, we think that you’ll agree: 'Back to the Start' is well worth the wait!

'Back to the Start' includes the following songs:

Keep On Going; Two Of A Kind; When Baby; Call Me Anytime; So Long; Back To Start; Just One Kiss; Wrong Way Out; One Step Ahead; Enough Of Your Loving; Better Believe It; What More Do You Want From Me?

Gary Wright, known by millions for his internationally acclaimed singles ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive’, will perform with ‘Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band’ on an extensive 27-date European tour from June 4-17th. This will mark the third time Wright will tour with Ringo’s All Starr Band (following tours in 2008 and 2010).

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Wright’s multi-million selling album ‘The Dream Weaver’. When the album was originally released in 1976, and the single ‘Dream Weaver’ became a huge success, Wright toured extensively with Yes, Fleetwood Mac and was special guest on Peter Frampton’s‘Frampton Comes Alive!’ tour.

Now, with the release of his first album in 20 years, ‘Connected’, Wright showcases a breath-taking collection of songs that capture the joyous magical transcendence of his all-time classic hits. The single ‘Satisfied’ includes performances from Ringo Starr (drums), Joe Walsh (lead guitar), and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (rhythm guitar).

Former lead singer of the British progressive blues rock band Spooky Tooth (1967-1974), American born Wright embarked on a solo career in 1975. He was one of the first classic rock musicians to combine synthesizers with rock and funk. Gary’s music has inspired generations of musicians including Jay-Z, Eminem, Mya, Salt-N-Pepa, Busta Rhymes, and Anastacia.

WITH NEWLY REMASTERED GREATEST HITS COLLECTION AND EXCLUSIVE REISSUES OF COMPLETE ORIGINAL CATALOGUE

Hit-making band led by Dirty Dancing’s Oscar-winning songwriter and featuring Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres to release The Best of Franke & the Knockouts: Sweetheart – Anniversary Edition with special bonus tracks.

To some, FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS was that band led by the guy who would go on to win the Oscar as the lead writer of Dirty Dancing’s theme song, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

To others, FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS was that other New Jersey band that boasted Tico Torres as its drummer -- right before he joined Bon Jovi en route to superstardom.

And then there are those who can’t shake that pop-perfect Top 10 smash “Sweetheart” from their brains, even though they might not remember the artist behind that and several other Top 40 blue-eyed soul hits from the early 1980s.

Regardless of why you remember FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS -- and why you should -- one thing resonates as clear as Franke Previte’s indelibly soaring, soulful falsetto:

One of the greatest “lost ‘80s” bands has been found!

More than a decade since their radio rockin’ blue-eyed soul music was available anywhere, FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS are back in a big way. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Sweetheart,” the band’s first hit record, Friday Music is releasing the newly remastered ultimate hits collection, THE BEST OF FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS: SWEETHEART – ANNIVERSARY EDITION, on CD and digital download. As a special bonus for all the collectors who’ve been clamoring for the entire catalogue for a generation, the band’s three “lost” albums, Franke & the Knockouts (1981), Below the Belt (1982) and Makin’ the Point (1984) – will be simultaneously available for the first time since their original vinyl issue, also newly remastered, in digital-only format. All four albums are being released May 24, 2011 on Friday Music.

THE BEST OF FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS features 19 hit tracks including all of the band’s classics such as their unforgettable Top 40 hits “Sweetheart,” “You’re My Girl” and “(Without You) Not Another Lonely Night.” It also features two bonus tracks, the original demo version of "Hungry Eyes," which Previte originally wrote and recorded for Franke & the Knockouts before it wound up becoming a Dirty Dancing soundtrack smash for Eric Carmen, and the previously unreleased power ballad "Beat Of A Broken Heart," written and recorded for the Dirty Dancing sequel, Havana Nights. The artist owned and authorized disc also includes new liner notes by Previte, unissued photos, and original artwork elements not seen in years.

Previte is donating his portion of the proceeds to the Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund at Stanford Cancer Center, in memory of his courageous Dirty Dancing friend.

“Not only is this celebrating the anniversary of my first-ever hit record,” says Previte, “but it also gives me a chance to re-live some of those moments hearing my voice at its best and being able to realize that I made a small little indentation to the music industry that some people still remember and enjoy. I get emails from people all over the world who just love the music, and are dying to know how they can get a hold of it. Some of the original records have been selling for a couple hundred bucks online, so I decided it’s time that I put them out make them affordable and accessible all over again. And I’d like to take that money and help my charity.”

GUITAR GOD ZAKK WYLDE TO SIT IN WITH THE ROOTS ON "LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON" MONDAY, JUNE 6TH

(New York, NY) - On Monday, June 6th guitar god Zakk Wylde will sit in with the amazing house band, The Roots, on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." Expect a killer display of guitar pyrotechnics from Wylde, as he jams with The Roots on a variety of material. Wylde will be featured throughout the entire show. "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" airs on NBC at 12:35AM, ET/PT.

In other Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society news, BLS' latest album, THE SONG REMAINS NOT THE SAME (Entertainment One Music) was just released and debuted in the Top 50 of the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. The offering features unplugged versions of material from Black Label Society's most recent studio album, ORDER OF THE BLACK, as well as additional material recorded during the ORDER OF THE BLACK sessions. THE SONG REMAINS NOT THE SAME was conceived, created and compiled by Zakk Wylde himself and the title is, of course, a nod to one of Wylde's favorite bands, Led Zeppelin.

Zakk Wylde's profile is at an all time high with recent appearances on "American Idol" and "Lopez Tonight."

Black Label Society is currently on the road wrapping up a headlining trek as part of Fuse's Uranium Tour 2011 Presented By Mistress Juliya in North America. Please see below for the remaining tour dates.

About Zakk Wylde/Black Label Society

In the two decades since Ozzy Osbourne hired him away from his job at a New Jersey gas station, Zakk Wylde has established himself as a guitar icon known and revered the world over. Wylde has won nearly every guitar award imaginable, graced countless magazine covers and is a major influence to a new battalion of rock guitarists. Writing and recording with Osbourne led to multi-platinum success, inspiring him to create the now iconic Black Label Society in 1998. In the decade plus since, BLS has turned the notion of what a rock band should be upside down by inspiring legions of fans (known as Berserkers) all over the world to follow the mantra: Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever (SDMF for short). Wylde and his Berserkers have established a heavy metal institution true to the vision of uncompromising, unfiltered and unrestrained rock 'n' roll. To date, Black Label Society has sold more than 3.5 million albums worldwide and continues to be a massive presence on the worldwide touring and merchandising circuits. Black Label Society'sORDER OF THE BLACK (Entertainment One Music), was released in August, 2010 and debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.